A United Nations war crimes court has sentenced a former Rwandan mayor to 15 years in prison for his role in the 1994 genocide.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda accepted a plea bargain in which Paul Bisengimina pled guilty to two counts of murder and extermination. In exchange, the prosecution dropped eight other charges.

The 58-year-old Bisengimina was mayor of Gikoro in 1994 and was involved in the slaughter of minority Tutsis who had sought refuge at a church.

Presiding Judge Arlete Ramaroson said Thursday that Bisengimina's guilty plea could encourage others to come forward and confess their crimes.